I constructed this happy guy yesterday at the foot of our driveway, in an inspired fit of harvest-time effigy building. There was something vaguely "Children of the Corn" about the whole experience, but it was a lot of fun. Who knows how long his hollow ol' punkin head is going to last?
I had to rearrange his limbs a couple of times, 'cause it seemed no matter what I did he looked positively crucifixional, but then again, it wouldn't be the first time.
Oh, and we had our first snow yesterday! It melted as soon as it hit the ground, but it came down pretty heavy for several minutes at the foot of the mountain. And the sun was shining the whole time, so it looked beautiful!
Hurray for Peter Pumpkinhead!
Nancy Drew
From today's Writer's Almanac, by Ron Koertge. (Reprinted without permission.) I really liked this one!
Merely pretty, she made up for it with vim.
And she got to say things like, "But, gosh,
what if these plans should fall into the wrong
hands?" And it was pretty clear she didn't mean
plans for a party or a trip to the museum, but
something involving espionage and a Nazi or two.
In fact, the handsome exchange student turns
out to be a Fascist sympathizer. When he snatches
Nancy along with some blueprints, she knows he
has something more sinister in mind than kissing
with his mouth open.
Locked in the pantry of an abandoned farm house,
Nancy makes a radio out of a shoelace and a muffin.
Pretty soon the police show up, and everything's
hunky dory.
Nancy accepts their thanks, but she's subdued.
It's not like her to fall for a cad. Even as she plans
a short vacation to sort out her emotions she knows
there will be a suspicious waiter, a woman in a green
off the shoulder dress, and her very jittery husband.
Very well. But no more handsome boys like the last one:
the part in his hair that was sheer propulsion, that way
he had of lifting his eyes to hers over the custard,
those feelings that made her not want to be brave
confident and daring, polite, sensitive and caring.
Improv Everywhere strikes at A&F
This is just freakin' fantastic!
Improv Everywhere is a performance group in NYC whose mission is to cause scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Yesterday they gathered over 100 men of many shapes, ages and sizes and staged a mass de-shirting at the flagship Abercrombie & Fitch store in Manhattan. Mind you, this is a 3 or 4 story A&F that employs their own shirtless male model outside the store 365 days a year. An addition to the usual larger-than-life posters of mostly naked men, the store also features an enormous shirtless bronze statue.
But evidently, they weren't so tickled by the real life version. Watch the video.
New Photos
Autumn is here! After years going without, we are being treated to what's being called the most beautiful fall northern VT has seen in three or four years. I'd forgotten what the air could smell like - it is so crisp and clean. And for some reason the skies are clearing in the wee hours of the morning. If you get up at 5 or so and look out the window, the stars are just incredible.
Paul's folks, Jean and Sara, have been here stay this month, and his dad has been taking a lot of great pictures. The leaf colors are not digitally enhanced - it was just a very sunny day. Enjoy!
Yoga Bear?
So, Mark and I have triple-downward-dog-dared each other into taking a weekly yoga class for beginners. We're only one week into it, so neither of us is twisting our limbs into pretzel shapes just yet - that make take a few more classes, I suppose. Really, I'd be perfectly happy with just loosening the steel bands in my legs enough to actually touch my toes. Simple goals.
Mark makes a great cohort! Neither if us is terribly bendy at present, and both of us have been curious for a while about this crazy idea of isometric exercises named for various barnyard animals. We had to explain that, no we're not brothers. Just two gently rounded beardy-heads seeking enlightenment.
Our first class was practically a private lesson: we were the only ones to show up on the Columbus Day holiday. Kate is a calm but enthusiastic teacher, and patiently explained how we were to maintain our awareness, breathe properly and consciously, press our heels into the mat, follow with our large and small toes, raise the foot's inner and outer arches, curve the spine, raise the lower belly, rotate and spread the inner thighs, let go of all negativity, lift shoulders toward the ears, open the back, and feel the fire within.
Then we began the class.
Like I said, I'll settle for being able to touch my toes. Seriously though, the first class was terrific. I sweated like a maniac, managed to learn a few of the very very very basic poses, stretched things that have never been stretched without professional assistance, and left feeling like I'd just had a great massage.
We shall see what the next class brings: who knows, perhaps we'll be joined by Mr. Ranger!
My New Bumper Sticker
Courtesy of Michele Madrigal's inspiration. The now classic font, if you are curious, is Phenix American.